Casio leverages ViewRanger technology in new outdoor smartwatch

Posted on 01/09/2018

ViewRanger joined Casio at a press conference to launch a new addition to Casio's PRO TREK series of rugged outdoor smartwatches. The event was held on August 30th in Berlin, Germany at IFA 2018, one of the largest trade shows for consumer electronics and home appliances.

ViewRanger co-founder and CEO Craig Wareham joined Casio executives and a Google Wear OS engineering director on-stage to present the new WSD-F30 smartwatch. The new model features a thinner profile, longer battery life, and enhanced display. The watch is scheduled for release in early 2019.

ViewRanger will also optimize its technology to work on the new smartwatch:

“More than 2,000 brands and organizations are publishing informative trail guides through the ViewRanger platform and we are partnered with more than 50 national map agencies and map publishers. All of this amazing content is available to put onto the Casio PRO TREK smartwatch," Wareham said at the press event.

“We’re now working to enable hyper-local discovery of trails so that when you arrive at a campsite, nature reserve, or trailhead, your watch can suggest to you the trails at that location that match what the ViewRanger app has learnt about your outdoor activities.

“This is to ensure they are relevant to you whether you prefer family friendly trails or something more challenging. We’re working to deliver the right guide, at the right time -- right to your wrist,” Wareham added.

ViewRanger has worked with Casio since 2016 and is part of its worldwide app alliance, a select group of app developers in the outdoor and fitness markets. ViewRanger also won the Android Excellence Award last January, Google Play's top honor for mobile apps.

More press details from Casio about the the new WSD-F30 below:

Tokyo, August 30, 2018 — Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announced today that it will release a new addition to the PRO TREK Smart series of wrist devices for outdoor enthusiasts. The WSD-F30 enables use of offline maps and GPS log recording for up to three consecutive days.*

Using only GPS log recording and map display function for eight consecutive hours each day and three consecutive days (varies according to use)

In 2016, Casio marked its entry into the smartwatch market with the release of the WSD-F10 wrist device for outdoor enthusiasts, with water resistance up to 50 meters and environmental durability built to military specifications. The WSD-F10 was built to run Google’s Android Wear (now Wear OS by Google) and the device and OS have been evolving together. The following year, Casio released the PRO TREK Smart WSD-F20 with GPS, which is winning over outdoor enthusiasts and other users with its wearable map functionality.

Extend Mode for using color maps and GPS offline up to three consecutive days

The new WSD-F30 comes with Extend Mode which enables use of offline color maps and GPS for up to three days on just a single charge. In Extend Mode, time and measurement data is continuously shown on the monochrome display, and a color map can be displayed with a push of button. Extend Mode also conserves energy by switching the operating system to energy-saving stand-by mode on a schedule set by the user. It also ensures optimal power management based on the activity plan, allowing the user to track his or her current location on an offline map and record tracks during activities longer than a single day.

New and improved dual-layer display

The WSD-F30 features a new and improved dual-layer monochrome and color display. The new color display employs an OLED that shows maps and data in finer detail. The layout of the monochrome display now shows more than just the time; it also displays atmospheric pressure/altitude and compass bearing, as befits the PRO TREK outdoor gear brand. The wrist device also comes with Multi Timepiece Mode, an evolution of the popular Timepiece Mode that allows only time data to be shown in monochrome while toggling off smartphone communication and the color display. In addition to the time, Multi Timepiece Mode now shows measurement data such as altitude and atmospheric pressure in monochrome, while still extending battery life without a charge to about a month, like its predecessor. This feature provides useful information for outdoor activities at a glance while conserving energy.

Smaller, thinner case for enhanced wearability

The inner components have been rearranged to realize a watch case that is 3.9 mm narrower and 0.4 mm thinner than before, for a more compact profile that also looks good on trim wrists. Nano treatment gives the resin bezel a metal-like luster for a luxury feel. The watchband has been improved and is now more flexible and has more holes for greater adjustability and fit.